ANNOUNCING THE 2026 CONRAD PREBYS SUMMER SEASON
AT THE RADY SHELL!

The Music of John Williams

Friday, July 31, 7:30 PM

David Newman, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Few composers have shaped our emotional memory like John Williams. From the wonder of Star Wars and the adventure of Indiana Jones to the soaring heroism of Superman and the tender, otherworldly beauty of E.T. , his music doesn’t just accompany stories; it is the story. Featuring some of the biggest hits and beloved classics of the silver screen, this all-Williams program puts the sound of the movies front and center, conducted by David Newman and performed by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Whether you grew up with these films or are discovering them anew, this is a night to feel the music that made movies legendary.

The Gershwins in Hollywood with Michael Feinstein

Friday, August 14, 7:30 PM

Michael Feinstein, piano & vocals
Rob Fisher, conductor
Scarlett Strallen, vocalist
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Step into Hollywood’s Golden Age with the irresistible sound of George and Ira Gershwin! From toe-tapping rhythms to swoon-worthy melodies, this concert brings the brothers’ iconic film music to life – the songs that lit up the silver screen and helped define American glamour. It’s big tunes, big charm, and pure Gershwin sparkle, where jazz meets cinema and every note feels like a standing ovation.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone™ in Concert

Friday, August 21, 7:00 PM

Justin Freer, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Learning on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard destined for greatness, Harry leaves for wizarding school for the first time in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™. This concert presents the first movie of the unforgettable series while the San Diego Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ enchanting score. Join us for an evening of music and magic.

All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.

BUDDY GUY 90

Friday, September 11, 7:30 PM

...with Special Guest CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM!

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Buddy Guy brings his 90th birthday celebration to The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park! At nearly 90 years old, he stands as one of the most influential guitarists in American music. As a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a pioneer of Chicago’s explosive West Side sound, Buddy Guy remains a guiding force for generations of rock and blues legends. The nine-time Grammy winner has also earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy, 38 Blues Music Awards, the Billboard Century Award, the Presidential National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honor. Rolling Stone ranks him #23 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” underscoring his unmatched impact on modern music.

Born in 1936 to a sharecropper’s family in rural Louisiana, Guy arrived in Chicago in 1957 and went on to reshape the sound of the electric guitar through groundbreaking work with Chess Records and influential recordings of his own. His recent achievements include a 2019 Grammy win for The Blues Is Alive and Well and the acclaimed PBS American Masters documentary Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away. Today, as he celebrates 90 years, Buddy Guy remains an American music icon – one of the last living architects of the electric blues tradition.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

The Sixties Show

Friday, September 18, 7:30 PM

Craig O’Keefe, bass, vocals, guitar
Tom Licameli, guitar, vocals, bass
Jim Boggia, guitar, vocals, ukulele
Kevin Bents, keyboards, vocals, guitar, bass
Scott Devours, drums
Peter Chiusano, keyboards

From New York City comes the greatest 1960s musical re-creation show on Earth! This popular, award-winning Off-Broadway production delivers a high-energy, multimedia immersive experience that transports audiences back in time – built around a thrilling, note-for-note live concert re-creation. The members of The Sixties Show were hand-picked to perform and record with The Who, Sir Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, The Bee Gees, The Rascals, Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan).

What you’re about to experience isn’t nostalgia. Time travel is real. It just sounds different than you’d expect. You’re not watching the past. You’re moving through it. What happens on stage isn’t a reenactment. It’s a loop. A current. A feedback circuit of memory and energy. What happened then is happening again. Right now.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

The Gershwins in Hollywood with Michael Feinstein

Friday, August 14, 7:30 PM

Michael Feinstein, piano & vocals
Rob Fisher, conductor
Scarlett Strallen, vocalist
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Step into Hollywood’s Golden Age with the irresistible sound of George and Ira Gershwin! From toe-tapping rhythms to swoon-worthy melodies, this concert brings the brothers’ iconic film music to life – the songs that lit up the silver screen and helped define American glamour. It’s big tunes, big charm, and pure Gershwin sparkle, where jazz meets cinema and every note feels like a standing ovation.

BUDDY GUY 90

Friday, September 11, 7:30 PM

...with Special Guest CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM!

---

Buddy Guy brings his 90th birthday celebration to The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park! At nearly 90 years old, he stands as one of the most influential guitarists in American music. As a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a pioneer of Chicago’s explosive West Side sound, Buddy Guy remains a guiding force for generations of rock and blues legends. The nine-time Grammy winner has also earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy, 38 Blues Music Awards, the Billboard Century Award, the Presidential National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honor. Rolling Stone ranks him #23 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” underscoring his unmatched impact on modern music.

Born in 1936 to a sharecropper’s family in rural Louisiana, Guy arrived in Chicago in 1957 and went on to reshape the sound of the electric guitar through groundbreaking work with Chess Records and influential recordings of his own. His recent achievements include a 2019 Grammy win for The Blues Is Alive and Well and the acclaimed PBS American Masters documentary Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away. Today, as he celebrates 90 years, Buddy Guy remains an American music icon – one of the last living architects of the electric blues tradition.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

The Music of John Williams

Friday, July 31, 7:30 PM

David Newman, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Few composers have shaped our emotional memory like John Williams. From the wonder of Star Wars and the adventure of Indiana Jones to the soaring heroism of Superman and the tender, otherworldly beauty of E.T. , his music doesn’t just accompany stories; it is the story. Featuring some of the biggest hits and beloved classics of the silver screen, this all-Williams program puts the sound of the movies front and center, conducted by David Newman and performed by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Whether you grew up with these films or are discovering them anew, this is a night to feel the music that made movies legendary.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone™ in Concert

Friday, August 21, 7:00 PM

Justin Freer, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Learning on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard destined for greatness, Harry leaves for wizarding school for the first time in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™. This concert presents the first movie of the unforgettable series while the San Diego Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ enchanting score. Join us for an evening of music and magic.

All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.

The Sixties Show

Friday, September 18, 7:30 PM

Craig O’Keefe, bass, vocals, guitar
Tom Licameli, guitar, vocals, bass
Jim Boggia, guitar, vocals, ukulele
Kevin Bents, keyboards, vocals, guitar, bass
Scott Devours, drums
Peter Chiusano, keyboards

From New York City comes the greatest 1960s musical re-creation show on Earth! This popular, award-winning Off-Broadway production delivers a high-energy, multimedia immersive experience that transports audiences back in time – built around a thrilling, note-for-note live concert re-creation. The members of The Sixties Show were hand-picked to perform and record with The Who, Sir Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, The Bee Gees, The Rascals, Mick Jagger, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan).

What you’re about to experience isn’t nostalgia. Time travel is real. It just sounds different than you’d expect. You’re not watching the past. You’re moving through it. What happens on stage isn’t a reenactment. It’s a loop. A current. A feedback circuit of memory and energy. What happened then is happening again. Right now.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

St. Vincent with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, August 1, 7:30 PM

...with guest AROOJ AFTAB!

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St. Vincent
Jules Buckley, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

St. Vincent has been regarded as one of the most innovative and fascinating presences in modern music for nearly 20 years, constantly reinventing her audio and visual personae over the course of a kaleidoscopic catalog and winning six Grammy Awards along the way. This summer, St. Vincent will venture once more into unexplored territory with a first ever limited run of orchestral performances. These special shows will see a selection of favorites and deep cuts spanning the St. Vincent discography brought to life in spellbinding new dimensions with the aid of Grammy-winning artist and renowned orchestrator, arranger and conductor, Jules Buckley. Together, St. Vincent and Buckley will enlist the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, along with other established orchestras across the nation, to forge new sonic worlds from her acclaimed albums, including Marry Me, Actor, Strange Mercy, St. Vincent, MASSEDUCTION, Daddy’s Home and All Born Screaming – in what promises to be a series of unforgettable evenings of unique symphonic reinterpretations of songs from one of modern music’s most eclectic and acclaimed bodies of work.

Stayin’ Alive: The Bee Gees & Beyond with RAJATON & the San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, August 8, 7:30 PM

Rajaton, vocals
Steven Reineke, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Renowned Finnish pop sensation Rajaton joins the San Diego Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable night of disco hits from The Bee Gees and beyond! Break out your sequins and bellbottoms and get ready to dance to the smooth harmonies that lit up this iconic era, including “Night Fever,” “More Than a Woman,” "Nights on Broadway," “Grease,” and many more!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone™ in Concert

Saturday, August 22, 7:00 PM

Justin Freer, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Learning on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard destined for greatness, Harry leaves for wizarding school for the first time in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™. This concert presents the first movie of the unforgettable series while the San Diego Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ enchanting score. Join us for an evening of music and magic.

All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.

Classic Albums Live Performs The Beatles (The White Album)

Saturday, August 29, 7:30 PM

Classic Albums Live brings note-for-note precision and electrifying energy to The Beatles (The White Album) , faithfully recreating every track from the legendary double LP by The Beatles. With meticulous attention to detail and world-class musicianship, this concert experience captures the spirit, nuance, and experimentation that made the 1968 release a landmark in rock history. From the raw grit of “Helter Skelter” and the driving energy of “Back in the U.S.S.R.” to the intimate beauty of “Blackbird” and “Julia,” hear this groundbreaking album performed live in its entirety, just as you remember it.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Dizzy Gillespie at The Shell: A Night in Tunisia and More

Saturday, September 5, 7:30 PM

Gilbert Castellanos, trumpet (leader)
KSDS Jazz Orchestra:
   Keith Fiddmont, alto saxophone
   Charlie Arbelaez, alto saxophone
   Justo Almario, tenor saxophone
   Clifford Morin, tenor saxophone
   Adam Schroeder, baritone saxophone
   James Ford, trumpet
   Doug Meeuwsen, trumpet
   Derek Cannon, trumpet
   Clarence McDuffie III, trumpet
   Matthew Hall, trombone
   Jeanne Geiger, trombone
   Carter Key, trombone
   Ryan Kupsh, trombone
   Irving Flores, piano
   Julian Esparza, acoustic bass
   Tyler Kreutel, drum set
   Javier Navarrette, percussion (congas & percussion)

Experience the electrifying rhythms and timeless melodies of Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie on the waterfront at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park this summer! Led by San Diego Symphony Jazz Curator and 10-time San Diego Music Award winner Gilbert Castellanos, the 17-piece KSDS Jazz Orchestra celebrates the groundbreaking fusion of jazz and Afro-Cuban music pioneered by Miles, Sonny and Dizzy.

The concert celebrates the roots and evolution of Latin Jazz back to Gillespie's historic collaboration with Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo, whose innovative partnership sparked a musical revolution. Hear iconic works including “A Night in Tunisia,” “Manteca,” “Tin Tin Deo,” “Cubana Be, Cubana Bop,” and more, brought to life by virtuoso musicians who will "shake The Shell" with the music's infectious rhythms, blazing solos, and irresistible energy.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

Stayin’ Alive: The Bee Gees & Beyond with RAJATON & the San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, August 8, 7:30 PM

Rajaton, vocals
Steven Reineke, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Renowned Finnish pop sensation Rajaton joins the San Diego Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable night of disco hits from The Bee Gees and beyond! Break out your sequins and bellbottoms and get ready to dance to the smooth harmonies that lit up this iconic era, including “Night Fever,” “More Than a Woman,” "Nights on Broadway," “Grease,” and many more!

Classic Albums Live Performs The Beatles (The White Album)

Saturday, August 29, 7:30 PM

Classic Albums Live brings note-for-note precision and electrifying energy to The Beatles (The White Album) , faithfully recreating every track from the legendary double LP by The Beatles. With meticulous attention to detail and world-class musicianship, this concert experience captures the spirit, nuance, and experimentation that made the 1968 release a landmark in rock history. From the raw grit of “Helter Skelter” and the driving energy of “Back in the U.S.S.R.” to the intimate beauty of “Blackbird” and “Julia,” hear this groundbreaking album performed live in its entirety, just as you remember it.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

St. Vincent with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, August 1, 7:30 PM

...with guest AROOJ AFTAB!

---

St. Vincent
Jules Buckley, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

St. Vincent has been regarded as one of the most innovative and fascinating presences in modern music for nearly 20 years, constantly reinventing her audio and visual personae over the course of a kaleidoscopic catalog and winning six Grammy Awards along the way. This summer, St. Vincent will venture once more into unexplored territory with a first ever limited run of orchestral performances. These special shows will see a selection of favorites and deep cuts spanning the St. Vincent discography brought to life in spellbinding new dimensions with the aid of Grammy-winning artist and renowned orchestrator, arranger and conductor, Jules Buckley. Together, St. Vincent and Buckley will enlist the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, along with other established orchestras across the nation, to forge new sonic worlds from her acclaimed albums, including Marry Me, Actor, Strange Mercy, St. Vincent, MASSEDUCTION, Daddy’s Home and All Born Screaming – in what promises to be a series of unforgettable evenings of unique symphonic reinterpretations of songs from one of modern music’s most eclectic and acclaimed bodies of work.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone™ in Concert

Saturday, August 22, 7:00 PM

Justin Freer, conductor
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Learning on his 11th birthday that he is a wizard destined for greatness, Harry leaves for wizarding school for the first time in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™. This concert presents the first movie of the unforgettable series while the San Diego Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams’ enchanting score. Join us for an evening of music and magic.

All characters and elements © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.

Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Dizzy Gillespie at The Shell: A Night in Tunisia and More

Saturday, September 5, 7:30 PM

Gilbert Castellanos, trumpet (leader)
KSDS Jazz Orchestra:
   Keith Fiddmont, alto saxophone
   Charlie Arbelaez, alto saxophone
   Justo Almario, tenor saxophone
   Clifford Morin, tenor saxophone
   Adam Schroeder, baritone saxophone
   James Ford, trumpet
   Doug Meeuwsen, trumpet
   Derek Cannon, trumpet
   Clarence McDuffie III, trumpet
   Matthew Hall, trombone
   Jeanne Geiger, trombone
   Carter Key, trombone
   Ryan Kupsh, trombone
   Irving Flores, piano
   Julian Esparza, acoustic bass
   Tyler Kreutel, drum set
   Javier Navarrette, percussion (congas & percussion)

Experience the electrifying rhythms and timeless melodies of Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie on the waterfront at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park this summer! Led by San Diego Symphony Jazz Curator and 10-time San Diego Music Award winner Gilbert Castellanos, the 17-piece KSDS Jazz Orchestra celebrates the groundbreaking fusion of jazz and Afro-Cuban music pioneered by Miles, Sonny and Dizzy.

The concert celebrates the roots and evolution of Latin Jazz back to Gillespie's historic collaboration with Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo, whose innovative partnership sparked a musical revolution. Hear iconic works including “A Night in Tunisia,” “Manteca,” “Tin Tin Deo,” “Cubana Be, Cubana Bop,” and more, brought to life by virtuoso musicians who will "shake The Shell" with the music's infectious rhythms, blazing solos, and irresistible energy.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

GIPSY KINGS Featuring NICOLAS REYES

Sunday, August 9, 7:30 PM

...with Special Guest REYES HERITAGE!

Gipsy Kings, founded in 1978 in Arles and Montpellier, in southern France, is well known for their mix of Catalan rumba, flamenco, salsa, and pop. Gipsy Kings became popular with their self-titled third album, which included the songs "Djobi Djoba", "Bamboléo" and the ballad "Un Amor". Nicolas Reyes, founder and lead singer, heads this band, still made up of members of the Reyes and Baliardo families.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this concert.

JEFF GOLDBLUM & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, August 23, 7:30 PM

The Night Blooms World Tour!

Stuart Chafetz, conductor
Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

Currently co-starring as The Wizard of Oz with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the critically acclaimed global box office smash, Wicked, Jeff Goldblum’s storied career now spans six decades of award-winning work as a starring actor in film, television and theater. He has also produced both film and television projects and is an Oscar-nominated director for his short feature film, Little Surprises.

Goldblum launched the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra 30 years ago. Since then, he and his band have performed for delighted audiences throughout the United States and all over the world playing contemporary arrangements of classic jazz and American Songbook Standards.

The group has released three albums, all with Decca Records, that have featured brilliant guest artists including Gregory Porter, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Fiona Apple, Freda Payne, Haley Reinhart, Imelda May and more. The fourth album, Still Blooming, was released last spring featuring guest artists Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Scarlett Johannson and Maiya Sykes.

Tchaikovsky Spectacular

Sunday, August 30, 7:30 PM

Enluis Montes Olivar, conductor
Joyce Yang, piano
San Diego Symphony Orchestra

GUTIÉRREZ: Alma Llanera
TCHAIKOVSKY: Capriccio italien, Op. 45
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 23
TCHAIKOVSKY: Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture, Op. 49

An audience favorite returns to The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park with an evening devoted to the passionate, melodic genius of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Conductor Enluis Montes Olivar leads the San Diego Symphony in a thrilling program featuring the exuberant Capriccio italien, the sweeping Piano Concerto No. 1 with Grammy-nominated pianist Joyce Yang, the dramatic tone poem Francesca da Rimini, and the crowd-pleasing 1812 Overture. The night concludes with spectacular pyrotechnics illuminating the bay, amplifying the excitement of this unforgettable celebration of Tchaikovsky’s music. Bold melodies, virtuosic fireworks, and a dazzling waterfront setting make this a can’t-miss summer tradition.

Please Note: This concert features pyrotechnics.